Teaware by Cong Qiang

Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute graduate Cong Qiang believes ceramics are meant to be used, not just looked at. His works stay true to the original character of the soil, celebrating its natural, raw and vibrant qualities. His glazes are made with all natural materials. In this collection, he explores the colors and glaze in his works.

WHITE

Raised in a modest Shandong village where scarcity defined life, Cong Qiang recalls his family crafting meals from scratch. A simple white noodle dish, with its delicate, nostalgic flavor, left a lasting impression. For him, white transcends mere color—it’s a language of love passed on through his parents. One that says, no matter how hard life was, we are here to nurture you.

SILVER

Silver glaze drapes the teaware like delicate silk, softly brushing its textured, rugged ceramic surface. This interplay—yin and yang, soft and hard, refined and raw—creates a captivating harmony.

To Cong Qiang, each silver-glazed piece evolves with its user, oxidizing gently over time, as if shedding a new skin to mirror the intimate bond of shared moments.

BLACK & WHITE

In traditional Chinese ceramics, the ‘Zisu’ (淄素) style marries black and white—‘緇’ evoking dyed black, ‘素’ embodying pure white. This duality echoes an ancient distinction: monks in black robes, common folk in plain attire, as expressed in the phrase, “Monks wear black, laypeople don plain” (僧徒衣緇，俗衆服素).

Rooted in Buddhist influence on tea culture, Cong Qiang’s ceramics honor this heritage, infusing tea rituals with serene, timeless reverence.